


Fool's Paradise

by bayouen



Category: Tales of Graces
Genre: Gen, also pretty angsty, it gets sweet in the end i swear, some violent imagery and stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-10-06 02:31:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10323593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bayouen/pseuds/bayouen
Summary: The world continues to turn.Even when the world turns on you.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I had a dream about this story and since the mere mentioning of Richard's name brings me to tears, I wrote this

No matter what horrors the world unfolds, it continues to turn as it always had.

 

Time marched on, the skies turned pink, and the moon set as the morning dawn was reaching overhead. The structures of Windor glowed like the sun’s rays, a richness only rivaled by the royalty housed within its walls. Asbel felt he would suffocate from the unnerving air that strolled through the cobblestone paths like a tourist eating up the sights. The beauty of the town only made his rising anxiety worsen. The town remained peaceful, heavenly even, despite the air of war and the possible death of their beloved prince gripping on their necks like a noose ready to be tighten at any moment's notice.

 

Asbel kept the ring given to him by his precious friend in hand. The glittering jewel refracted sprinkles of red and white, covering his hand in blood red spots.

 

_Blood red._

 

Sophie(?) noticed his slight shivering and eyed him quizzically.

 

“I-It’s nothing,” he responded too quickly, as if reading a script.

 

Asbel paced around the castle for the third time, desperately trying not to make eye contact with the guards who, not surprisingly, have been getting increasingly suspicious of the odd looking Lord-

 

_Not Lord._

 

_I’m not anything anymore now._

 

Asbel abruptly stopped, Sophie barely missed crashing into Asbel’s backside.

 

“S-Sorry about that,” he said, turning back to give Sophie an apologetic smile.

 

Sophie just stared at him before saying “For what?”

 

“Nothing,” he lied, becoming quite skillful at being an actor in the last few hours.

 

_Nothing’s wrong except the fact that my entire life was crashing before my eyes._

 

In a span of about three days, not only has Asbel lost the trust of his best friend and brother but he lost his father and possibly the life of another of his closest friends.

 

 **Again**.

 

And Asbel hasn’t had so much of a minute to grieve for any of them.

 

He was exhausted not only mentally but physically too. He had to fight off forces invading his beloved home and not so much a second afterwards he had gotten word that his friend (possibly the only one left that's alive[?] and won't look at Asbel in disgust) could be in peril while every one of his trusted “guards” remained ever oblivious, too busy preoccupied on protecting the castle grounds from a fellow knight and a girl.

 

It sickened him, so much that he felt himself sweat. Where was Richard? Was he ok?

 

Richard has had his fair share of assassination attempts, more so than the regular normal amount of none. Hell, he had one no less than three days since they first met! He could imagine the many attacks on his life, whether Richard was training, in battle, or even just leisurely reading a book. He could remember the coldness and trembling figure of Richard back when they first met. His pale skin, the darkness of his eyes at the thought of the word “friends”.

 

The moment he saw that darkness, Asbel swore that he would make sure Richard would never question what friendship was again.

 

“Asbel,” He heard Sophie’s tiny voice travel through the air like a bird to his ear.

 

“Y-yeah?”

 

“What do we do now?”

 

_Good question._

 

Because Asbel had no idea.

 

He was never the problem-solving type when he was younger and sadly the statement continued to hold true. His ideas were often brash and straightforward, not focused enough to get the big picture of a situation. As a child, even when his ideas were messy and ridiculous, he always had his brother, Hubert, to fall back on.

 

_But of course that’s not happening anytime soon._

 

Asbel sighed.

 

He loved his time back at the Knight Academy. He felt as if his time and strength were finally reaching towards a goal. His uselessness and weak-mindedness seemed like a thing of the past when combating wild beasts and sparring with his classmates. Asbel not only gotten physically stronger, but (or so he thought) he was rewarded with a wiser outlook that only came from hard work and determination.

 

He thought that with his new founded strength that he can return back home to Lhant a new man worthy of his father’s approval.

 

Too bad he didn’t take in the possibility of his father not _living_ long enough to see the new him.

 

“Asbel?”

 

Asbel shooked his head and replied, “I don’t know yet, Sophie, I’ll think of something,” saying it more for his benefit than for Sophie. They could try the guards again, but what good will come of it?

 

Asbel sighed once again as his thoughts fell back onto Richard.

 

He hasn’t contacted him as well in the long time he spent as a Knight. There should’ve been plenty of opportunities at the many galas they held at the academy. However every supposive “appearance” of the prince had been delayed due to either an abundance of work or due to the prince’s poor health. Eventually, Asbel assumed that Richard was just too busy for him, being a prince and all. It was a sad thought but Asbel was no stranger for being plagued with sad thoughts.

 

Asbel wondered.

 

Did he change over the years too?

 

Would he even want to see Asbel? What if he, too, would reject Asbel because of how locked away he was while training to be a knight?

 

Was this Asbel’s curse? Was it because of his sins that Asbel was cursed to be alone? He could feel his body ache as he slid down to the ground. Sophie, not knowing what to do, mimicked his actions.

 

“Goddamn it…” Asbel whispered. He felt the tinges of anger well within him.

 

_It’s happening again._

 

_My friends are suffering right in front of me._

 

_And I can’t do anything..._

 

What was the point of all this? Why did Asbel spent seven years of his life on becoming a knight if he still couldn’t save anyone? What would the Sophie of back then say to him now?

 

The girl that appeared into his life like an angel from the heavens. An unknown entity that gripped at him and tethered him to her like a magnet. A mystery that begged him to solve.

 

Her image still haunts him to this day. The image of his Sophie, skewered by that mysterious creature, her adoring eyes on Asbel before he lost consciousness and lost his Sophie as well.

 

Even her death was a mystery.

 

_Wait… the secret entrance…_

 

_Could it still be open?_

 

Asbel shot up immediately, turning to Sophie with an intense heated look.

 

“Sophie! I have an idea!”

 

The loudness of his voice started Asbel. He felt the heat in his chest burn with an incredible passion. The thought of his Sophie and her sacrifice brought out something in Asbel. It was the same tearing pain that he felt all those years ago.

 

When he sat on the end of his bed.

 

Mid-afternoon.

 

The maids just started making dinner.

 

His father said, “ _Sophie is dead ._ ”

 

**_And it’s your fault._ **

 

It’s the same feeling that made Asbel abandon his home all those years ago. The same feeling that made him pick up a sword and train until his hands were raw and dried blood caked his knees. That same feeling which made him trudge through woods and dirt, despite his weakened state, at the first sign of his friend being in danger.

 

Sophie, Asbel’s beloved Sophie, was a girl who, even without a shred of memory of who she is or was, gave her heart and all her love for her friends in an instant.

 

And Asbel would feel like a fool if he didn’t do the same.

 

\---

 

No matter what horrors the world unfolds, it continues to turn as it always had.

 

It was dark. Painfully dark. The tunnel smelled of blood and burnt carcass. The last thing he wanted to do was to go through this tunnel, back to the place where he nearly died.

 

 **Again**.

 

Richard continued to drag his weakened body down the winding cavern, stumbling every two steps to adjust the cloth covering his bleeding side.

 

Even from this distance he could still hear the screams of the soldiers and maids slaughtered while protecting the king and him.

 

_All in vein._

 

He bit his lower lip, tasting even more metallic blood.

 

He could still hear his father cry out, begging and pleading to Celric, his uncle, with no avail. He watched his uncle plunge the sword into his chest over and over, as if the simple act filled him with as much enjoyment as a child frolicing in the first winter snow. The blood from the sword fell off like snowflakes, covering the throne room with red.

 

He could still hear Celric’s voice ring out in the corridors, ordering his army to slaughter anyone still alive. “Especially the prince,” he screamed loud enough to be assured that Richard could hear it. He saw faces he woke up to, he ate next to, he laughed with, all of them riddled with sword marks and gushing blood. He saw those same faces point a sword to his neck with a gleam in their eye imagining Richard’s beautiful gold locks painted red.

 

Richard felt tears leave his eyes as the pain from his wound worsened.

 

He was as good as dead.

 

_About time._

 

Richard had dodge death so many times it seemed like it was a daily occurrence like brushing your teeth or getting the mail. If it wasn’t the constant illnesses (poisonings to be specific), it was the blatant assassination attempts from people Richard have referred to as “friends”.

 

_Friends…_

 

Before, the mere mentioning of that word laid on Richard’s tongue like a bitter tea. Friends were people who worm their way into Richard’s heart only to grab it and hold it for ransom. Friends gave Richard a smile and a hug only in the midst of watching eyes in order to grant them a richness that only being the friend of the prince can deliver. Friends get closer to Richard to wrap ropes around his limbs and force him to dance like a puppet for their amusement.

 

Richard gritted his teeth.

 

Nothing good came out of being a prince.

 

Nothing good came out of his damned life.

 

 _Except_.

 

Suddenly Richard’s legs finally gave out, sending him tumbling onto the hard ground. Richard lost all mental and physical strength to get up.

 

Even if he did manage to will himself back up, why? To get chased down by his uncle’s goons again? To be held as a prize by his captors? To have his head string up on a poll, used as a staff for his uncle to dance around and mock his grave, so even in death Richard couldn’t rest?

 

Who the fuck cares anymore.

 

Richard was done.

 

Forcibly resigned, waiting to finally bleed out and be free of this torturous life.

 

**You can’t be done yet.**

 

He hears a voice within him, a voice he constantly heard in the deepest of nights, like a ghost haunting Richard’s very soul.

 

**Get up. Get up.**

 

The voice was dark, harsh, pained.

 

It felt familiar to Richard, as if his life was replaying all over again. The same voice filled with pain and betrayal.

 

Maybe Richard was finally dying, now that his life was flashing back.

 

He felt his mind acting on its own accord, like a book being read to him as a child. A fairytale playing out to him that blurred the lines of reality and memory.

 

For some reason, as he laid there dying, he thought of Asbel.

 

_Asbel._

 

Once upon a time, when Richard felt that his never ending loneliness will never cease, a boy appeared like a flash of lightning, illuminating the dark haze that took Richard so heavily. The boy brought with him his friends, a smile, and a promise of adventure. Richard, wide-eyed and optimistic for once in his bleak pessimistic life, grabbed hold of the outreached hand like a drowning man gripping a rope for survival. Richard tasted the fresh apples from the nearby apple tree and breathed in the fresh mountain air that could only come from a small homely town like Lhant.

 

That boy, Asbel, along with his much taller friend, Sophie, took Richard to the top of a large hill covered in flowers that eternally bloom. The beauty overtook Richard and filled him with a happiness he didn’t expect to still have inside of him. He look to the flowers then looked at Sophie, then looked at Asbel and gave a big smile. It was so big that he felt his cheeks hurt and his eyes water.

 

“Is this what it means to have a friend," Richard pondered.

 

And they all laughed.

 

Richard, now lying on the cold hard floor, wanted to laugh too.

 

He wanted to be that Richard again, smiling, happy, filled with the love of others. Filled with the love of his friend Asbel.

 

He wanted to see Asbel again.

 

_Just once, just one more time please, then you can take me to hell, just let me see his face one more-_

 

“Richard!”

 

Richard felt his heart stop.

 

There’s no way. It has to be a dream. He had to have already pass to the next world. Something as perfect as this could only happen in a dream, or fairy tales, or-

 

“Richard! Are you here? Richard?!”

 

Now Richard really wanted to cry.

 

That voice, it was notably deeper than the young boyish one of his memories, but he could _feel_ that was Asbel. That voice ran to him like a wave, crashing into his senses, filling them with liquid until Richard was drowning, he was drowning in Asbel.

 

Richard dared to open his eyes and lift his limp body to see if the world was, once again, playing a cruel trick on him and would be greeted with a sword trusted into his chest.

 

Instead he saw an angel’s outstretched hand and bright blue eyes.

 

Richard whispered, “A miracle."

 

The heavens must’ve sent him a guardian angel.

 

And his name was Asbel.

 

\---

 

Sophie stared at the sleeping garment with confused eyes. What exactly is this? It felt strange to have clothes specific for sleeping and sleeping alone. What was wrong with what she had on right now?

 

Sophie found it strange, but thought the best course of action was to ask Asbel.

 

It has been three days since she and Asbel found Richard close to death in the secret passageway to the Windor castle. After finding him, they all head to the first inn they found, screaming at the inn-keep for medical assistance. For those three days, Richard had been in a deep coma, turning and tossing violently once in awhile, pooling sweat from his hairline to his neck. Every night Sophie would ask Asbel, “Will Richard be alright?” And Asbel replied, “I don't know."

 

It wasn’t until earlier today at noon did everyone in the inn get jostled by loud ear-piercing screams that came from the room Asbel and Richard shared.

 

Sophie found herself in front of the same room where Asbel and Richard resided in. It was a mess traveling out of Windor, especially with Richard injured so badly. Travel was slowed due to the fact that Richard laid all of his weak body on Asbel, refusing to even let Sophie so much as touch him. It bothered her for some reason she did not understand.

 

However, in her confused state, the only solace she had was Asbel, so if he trusted and cared for Richard, so shall she.

 

“That girl… is she-”

 

Sophie could hear voices coming from the other side.

 

“I’m… not entirely sure, Richard. She looks like Sophie but-”

 

They’re talking about Sophie.

 

_Which Sophie._

 

“The resemblance is remarkable, Asbel, but how could that-”

 

She then heard a large cough, followed up by a frantic voice of ”Are you ok?”

 

Sophie wondered if she should be hearing this.

 

It sounded way too personal, even if it was about her.

 

Or was it about her?

 

“Richard you should get some rest,” she heard a voice say as the door suddenly opened.

 

“I’ll get you some wa-Sophie?” Asbel jumped back in shock.

 

Sophie stared at him oddly.

 

“How… long were you standing there?”

 

“Asbel.”

 

“Y-yeah?”

 

Sophie showed him the garment clutched in her hand.

 

Asbel, seeing this, turned pink, “Y-You need help? I… I’m sure one of the inn girls can help you i-”

 

Sophie shook her head, her large pony tails twisting erratically.

 

“That’s not what I wanted to ask,” Sophie said it as if she was stating a fact instead of a reply.

 

“What is this dress for?”

 

Asbel looked at her for a while before his face softened into something warm and sweet.

 

Sophie liked that Asbel.

 

“It’s a night gown, you wear it to bed-”

 

“Why? I already have clothes."

 

Asbel laughed at this, “Yes you do, but they’re not really comfortable enough for sleeping."

 

Sophie raised her brow as if disbelieving that statement, but accepted the response as a good enough answer.

 

She returned to her room to shed her clothes and replace them with the sleeping garment. Afterwards she emerged from her room just in time to see Asbel resurface with a glass of water.

 

“Oh hey Sophie-” Asbel stopped and admired the young girl in front of him.

 

“Wow, you look so cute Sophie!”

 

_Cute?_

 

“I’ve never seen you with your hair down so-”

 

Asbel looked visibly uncomfortable.

 

“Uh… nevermind,” he said in a hurry.

 

“What's cute?”

 

Asbel turned pink again.

 

“Well… you are Sophie."

 

“I am?”

 

Sophie tilted her head, letting her hair cascade on her shoulder.

 

“How am I cute?”

 

“Well…” Asbel looked around desperate for a distraction. When he found none he went back to facing the girl in front of him.

 

“It's like...t-that just looking at you makes other people smile and… yeah,” Asbel finished awkwardly.

 

Sophie wondered how a mere visual presence of a person could move someone to such a euphoric state.

 

But then she thought of Asbel, and realized she already understood.

 

So she smiled wide.

 

Asbel returned the smile tenfold.

 

“Glad to see that-” Before he could finish, loud coughing broke the mood between the two, prompting Asbel to rush to the room behind him. Sophie followed out of curiosity, watching Richard down the entire glass in one shot.

 

“Thank you, Asbel,” Richard said, giving Asbel a gentle smile.

 

His face was pale and his hair mimicked wild straw. His gaze fell onto Sophie where she saw his smile fade slightly. There was a strange flick in Richard’s eyes that intimidated Sophie, as if flames and brimstone would ooze out and incinerate Sophie if she dared to come closer.

 

It was frightening.

 

But the smile was back as Richard said, “My you look cute in that outfit, Sophie."

 

“Yes definitely-”

 

“Pink and white work wonderfully for you, I might have to find a matching palette for Asbel to wear."

 

“I uh… rather you didn’t,” Asbel replied frowning at the slight smirk he saw on Richard’s features. Sophie, having been complimented a second time that evening, smiled wide.

 

Afterwards, Sophie rubbed her eyes, alerting Asbel of the time.

 

“Sophie, you should head off to bed,” Asbel said, letting his hand brush the top of her head. Richard, after a long yawn, nodded and laid back onto the mattress slowly, wincing when the bed made contact with his wounds. Asbel immediately shuffled to his side.

 

“I am fine, Asbel,” he said, his voice tired as his face strained a smile.

 

“But-”

 

“Goodnight, Sophie,” Richard said, cutting off Asbel. Asbel, still harboring mild concerned, stood by Richard’s bed as he turned and bid Sophie a good night.

 

“Call if you need anything, ok?” Asbel said more as a promise than as a simple request.

 

Sophie nodded and before turning back to her room, she said goodnight and disappeared through the doorframe.

 

As Sophie lied in bed, she let her long lavender hair spread around her like a blossoming flower. Sophie let her mind wander over the words Asbel told her, about being cute, about someone’s existence can bring nothing but joy, about her, Richard, and Asbel.

 

Sophie smiled, a warm feeling overtook her body, sending rays of sparkles to tickle her fingertips. The world was new to her; she had no idea how she was brought to it, but thank the stars everyday that she was. She wondered if these feelings she has for them were something she has or something the other Sophie had.

 

_The other Sophie._

 

She remembered the stories Asbel told to her about a girl who mirrored her appearance, the story of how she bloomed in everyone’s hearts and sacrificed herself out of love. Whenever she heard these stories her chest ached and her body shook. A cold mist slithered around her body, making her hair stand on end. She remembered Asbel weeping at the sight of her, and another girl with cherry hair staring at her as if a ghost appeared to capture her soul.

 

When Asbel talked about the other Sophie, his eyes get wet, his posture falls, and his voice shakes slightly. The other Sophie was someone that Asbel treasured deeply, so much that his feelings never wavered when thinking about her.

 

Asbel never looked at her with unsure fearful eyes like he did with Sophie.

 

This Sophie, unknown Sophie, not that Sophie, whoever she is Sophie.

 

Even though she wants to be that Sophie so badly, to have the same kind eyes that Asbel gives to Richard whenever they’re together. To have Asbel’s heart soak in fondness whenever he mentions her name. To be that Sophie.

 

It hurt.

 

It hurt to have something so close but unable to be reached.

 

It pained her to not know, to feel so close to an answer but only to receive static fuzz.

 

_Why can’t I be that Sophie._

 

As Sophie turned over, she could hear the slight murmurs of sobs from the adjacent room. Sophie closed her eyes and imagined Asbel tending to the pained cries like a mother holding her dying child.

 

She imagined Asbel tending to her silent cries as well.

 

\---

 

The morning glow cascaded the small bedroom in lemony light. Asbel turned and groaned before pushing his face further into the pillow. He sighed into the sheets before lifting his body up to glare at the open binds releasing the gold rays. He reached out to close them and noticed Richard’s bed made with every sheet tucked and smoothen.

 

Asbel yawned as he lifted himself out of bed to search for some wearable clothes. After making himself look presentable, he searched the inn for the young prince, but only saw the maids and cooks greeting him; he didn’t even see so much of a purple strand of Sophie.

 

Asbel began to worry, jostling the inn door open to search for his missing friends.

 

Right before seeing his missing friends right in front of him.

 

Safe.

 

_Safe._

 

Sophie was busy conversing with a stray dog about flowers (they seemed to be talking about white peonies), while Richard was sitting on a nearby bench, lost in thought.  He saw Asbel make his way over and smiled as he slid over to make room.

 

“Hello, Asbel,” Richard said, the smile finally reaching up to his eyes.

 

“Morning…” Asbel looked at Richard and furred his brow, “Why are you up so early?”

 

“It’s noon, Asbel."

 

“Oh."

 

Asbel rubbed his temple as he heard Richard’s light chuckles.

“Not a morning person, are you?” he heard, noting the laughter in his voice.

 

“It’s been a long week."

 

“Tell me about it."

 

Silence came over the two, letting the wind pass as they watched Sophie collect the nearby flowers. Asbel looked over at Richard and noticed the red clouding the white of his eyes. There was a deep darkness under his eyes and a shiver at random intervals. Asbel’s face was quickly painted with concern.

 

Asbel leaned closer to Richard and broke the silence, “Are you ok Richard?”

 

“Asbel, my wound is fine-”

 

“N-no I mean,” Asbel looked down at his hands before looking back up at the prince, “do you… feel ok?”

 

Richard’s face fell and he looked away from Asbel, his form shrinking like a wounded animal.

 

“I don’t know,” was all he said.

 

A more dense silence came over them, more pained and uncomfortable. It made Asbel jittery, desperate to change  the mood, to reach out, to do _something_ to help.

 

Richard took a deep breath before turning back to face Asbel, “I… didn’t get much sleep, as you can see,” Richard forced a smile before turning his attention to the sky.

 

“It doesn’t feel real Asbel,” Richard began, his eyes glossed over with an unknown emotion, “I could wish for a thousand years for it to be a fantasy but,” Richard stopped suddenly.

 

“Richard-”

 

“I’m lost Asbel, I don’t know who I am anymore,” Richard began, feeling his heart drop at every syllable, “I’ve become an enemy to my own people, my own family. I still hear the screams and cries of servicemen who raised me since I was a boy."

 

Richard clutched at his side, inching away when Asbel leaned in to steady him.

 

“It became so commonplace for these types of abominations to happen, I waited for the day my life would finally end."

 

“Richard-”

 

“I really thought I was going to die, Asbel,” Richard admitted as he gripped his thighs, “I gave up Asbel, I laid there thinking this would be the last time I’d ever be alive."

 

“Richard… “ Asbel tried to lean in again, “Richard, I… I’m glad."

 

Richard looked towards Asbel, confused. He felt Asbel grasp his hand, feeling his thumb massage his knuckles.

 

“I… before-” Asbel’s eyes shifted in embarrassment, “I felt like I failed mostly everyone. I couldn’t protect Lhant, I couldn’t protect Sophie, so I-I… when I heard you were in trouble Richard, I-”

 

Asbel felt Richard grip his hand tightly.

 

“No matter what, I had to save you,” Asbel said, the intensity in his eyes made Richard look away for a second.

 

“I had no idea things were bad for you Richard and… I’m sorry. I’m sorry for failing you so many-”

 

“Asbel,” At Richard’s call, Asbel lifted his downcasted head to face the prince.

 

“You didn’t fail anyone,” Richard said strongly.

 

_You didn’t fail anyone._

 

Asbel wanted so badly to believe that.

 

“You are a worthy knight and a kindhearted gentleman and,” Richard smiled warmly, “my hero, of course."

 

Asbel felt his face grow hot, “R-Richard!”

 

“A true knight to the prince, and for that I thank you, Asbel,” Richard said, letting Asbel’s name roll off like a sweet song playing.

 

Asbel still felt his face flush, but gave a sheepish smile, “I-... Thanks, Richard."

 

Another silence fell, a gentle blanket covering the two of them with serenity.

 

“You know,” Richard began, breaking the silence.

 

“Hm?” Asbel felt Richard grasp his hand.

 

“Asbel, on that day, I could only think about seeing one person.”

 

“W-Who?”

 

“You, Asbel,” Richard said, his eyes shined brighter than the blood red ring tucked on Asbel’s person.

 

_A guardian angel._

 

Asbel laughed, “I thought I was trying to cheer you up."

 

The air was quickly filled with their laughter.

 

Sophie, who was previously preoccupied with the bundle of flowers around her, walked back to the two sharing a space on the bench. She saw the friendly chatter flutter in the air and eyed the scene suspiciously. The air seemed… familiar. Like an old friend coming to visit with treats and tales of their adventures.

 

_A friend…_

 

Sophie noticed Asbel was smiling, the same kind of smile when he gazed at Sophie while she was wearing her nightgown.

 

Sophie smiled.

 

“Richard,” Sophie said, her voice instantly brought the attention of the two men.

 

“Oh Sophie,” Asbel said noticing the gathering of roses and carnations in her grasp,”you have a lot of flowers there, do you want to k-”

 

“Richard, Asbel thinks you’re cute."

 

A beat.

 

“WHAT?!” Asbel almost leapt out of his seat. Richard was left flabbergasted and started staring off into space.

 

“S-S-SOPHIE,” Asbel said, his face redder than the roses that adorned Sophie’s person, “W-I- I never said that!”

 

“But you said before a person is cute when looking at them makes you smile-”

 

“B-but that’s not, No!”

 

“No?”

 

“I mean,” Asbel began, rubbing the back of his neck, “g-guys don’t call each other cute, handsome maybe, but-”

 

“Then do you think Richard’s handsome?”

 

“Ye-N NO!”

 

“No?”

 

Asbel thought his face couldn’t get any redder.

 

“Listen S-Sophie, I-”

 

“Asbel,” Richard said, mocking hurt and wiping away fake tears, “you don’t think I’m handsome?”

 

**“What?!”**

 

“I’m hurt, Asbel."

 

“Richard you are _not_ helping!”

 

Sophie stood there confused as Richard started laughing his hardest since they re-met at the secret passage. He winced at times due to his injuries, but didn’t weaken his laughter.

Asbel shortly joined him, while Sophie, still confused, smiled anyways as the joy filled her lungs and washed her body with pleasure.

 

And they continued to laugh, until their eyes were full of tears and their smiles reached their eyes.

 

The world continued as always, the air smelled the same, the flowers continued to bloom.

 

No matter what horrors the world unfolds, it continues to turn as it always had.

 

_And no matter what happens, we’ll continue to walk forward to an unknown future._

**Author's Note:**

> I took alot of liberties with this lol, thank you so much for reading <3


End file.
